Step 6: Experiment in Plastic Bottles

Step 7: Foot Note

Some tips on usage of Alum and Bleach solution: The prescribed dosage of Alum varies from 5 mg per liter for a relatively clear water to 85 mg f...

One of the major problems we face during camping trips is finding clean water suitable for drinking and cooking. Even though you select a camping site near a water source, one can not be sure that the water is fit for consumption. Further, what can one do in the event of an unpredictable rain, muddying the entire water source...?

Do not worry. This Instructable will take you through the steps involved in cleaning and purifying the muddiest of muddy water and make it suitable for drinking and cooking.

Step 1: Chemicals Required

Aluminium Sulfate

Aluminium Sulfate, Shortly known as Alum, when added to raw water reacts with the bicarbonate alkalinities present in water and forms a gelatinous precipitate. This floc attracts other fine particles and suspended material in raw water, and settles down at the bottom of the container. The water over this sediment is almost clean other than some fine particles dissolved in it.

Alum is in a crystallized form which you can powder and store in a clean glass container.

Bleaching Powder Solution

Bleaching powder or chlorinated lime is used to disinfect the water from bacteria. The chlorine present in the bleaching powder solution kills almost 90% of the bacteria present in water.

Bleaching powder also known as Calcium hypochlorite is in a powdered form. Add one or two teaspoons of the powder in a glass bottle, add water and mix well. Use a metal cap for the container as it may corrode plastic cap.

Both Alum and Bleaching powder are commonly available in most of the grocery stores.

Step 2: Water Sample

Look at the water collected from the source after heavy rains. It is muddy and also contains lots of floating material. Now let us see how we can convert this dirty water in to clean drinkable water.

the amount of alum varies with every water sample based on presence of dissolved particles. please carry out tests with different percentage of alum, say 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp or 3/4 tsp. the water should be clean with all those particles settled in the bottom and there should not be any taste of alum. if the water is not clean increase the amount of alum. If it tastes of alum, then reduce the quantity of alum.Secondly, the amount of bleaching powder you have mentioned seems to be on higher side. Allow the alum-mixed water to settle down overnight and only drain out the clean water from top without disturbing the sediments. if you want you can filter this water again, add a drop or two of bleaching powder solution per litre of water and use it for drinking. here again, the smell of chlorine should be barely noticeable

when you treat water in large quantities, 10 mg per liter (50 mg for 5 liters of water) is more than enough.Too much of alum will change the taste of water and may cause nausea & stomach upsets. However, the dosage depends on the impurities present in water. Sample tests with varying quantities of alum is normally carried out in water treatment plants and some times it is lower than 5 mg per liter of water

Nice instructable, but I would like to state that you cant just easily find that at walmart or some place. Me and a few friends conducted a scientific experiment to see if using salt, half a lime, and the sun will purify water, and we found it works pretty well. You may want to do that in addition. I will post my scientific paper with this if you want to read it. Once again nice tutorial :) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O0fHYU9XmUn2rWCXQDhlG5EMZZtTBAQGTy7wX7bRGtQ/edit?usp=sharing

PS. Where could you get this stuff because I cant find it at the store.

Thank you. Good scientific experiment you conducted there. I have saved a copy of that for future reference.

Alum and bleaching powder are the most common material used all over the world to purify drinking water. Alum is most efficient than salt as a flocculation agent and the proper dossage does not leave any taste in the water. At my place I can find them easily. Alum is also used in almost all of the barber shops, applied on face after a shave. Try some small shops instead of walmart

nice instructable. I used to work in a water treatment lab so can agree with this method. just a thought on speeding up the coagulation part.. some treatment works use floculants with air agitators and skim off the scum at the surface. I haven't tried but perhaps try rigging a bike tyre co2 canister to an aquarium bubbler and see if this can shorten that step (or hook up a hand pump). also if you are carrying a water filter (water jug style) for final treatment there is now one on the market that uses membrane filtration that is VERY good (designed for potable waters but I would use it in this scenario) can filter ~800NTU 0-5um particulates from 1L in <20 min to achieve <5NTU. NOTE this does not stop viruses or anything smaller than 0.01um.

Breygon, you are absolutely right. that is the way most water treatment units function. I have just simplified this instructable as a guidance for persons struck up during camping with muddy water. As you suggested, the water can be filtered after chlorination to remove very fine particles with a portable water filter.

Interesting the addition of Alum, but 6 or 7 hours.. that's a long time when you're hiking. (although it's better to carry a few liter of water for a few hours then to discover after a few hours there's not a drop in miles. Also, preparing the water in the evening at camp will make sure you have clean drinkable water the next morning)

If the water is muddy it needs time for the sediments to settle down. Clean water from steams does not require addition of Alum and can be consumed after chlorination with few drops bleach solution. I assume people start hiking / camping with some clean water from home.

Most do, but on longer hikes especially in the summer when the sun is beating down on you, you tend to balance between the amount & weight versus the heat. I've gotten the purifying tablets from camping goods stores, they're good, but (A) expensive, (b) you can't drink the water for 30 minutes, until the purifying tablet has finished. (the ones with the ascorbic acid 2nd tablet take away the Iodine/chemical taste, but still leaves some.)

About This Instructable

Bio:I like to make things more simple with easily available resources. My favorite quote: A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building...read more »